As we rejoice in our iPhone apps, GPS car navigation and
even TV DVRs, it’s pretty obvious that the average person has embraced
technology in a major way. I can’t imagine sitting at a long red light without
a phone to check my email on. The software advances have helped us so much we
would never go back to doing things the old way, and volunteer scheduling
software is something that more of us are starting to think should exist, but
it sure doesn’t feel that way.

Certain activities remain decidedly “old school.” One of
these is volunteering – sometimes entering the community center, I get the
feeling I’m 8 years old again, heading into a brownie meeting – the linoleum,
the paint and the smell are exactly the same. And of course, posted up on that
dusty, tired corkboard their volunteer scheduling technology has remained
static – 6 separate clipboards hung on a wall waiting for someone to wander by
and sign up.

But can’t volunteer scheduling have a technology fix too? Of
course. VolunteerSpot has created a volunteer scheduling tool that makes
coordination far less time-consuming and tedious for the organizer and actually
speeds the time from the moment the request for help is posted and the time
volunteers schedule themselves in. Organizers start as easily as they might
fill out a clipboard – they name the activity and then start clicking on the
calendar dates and times they need help, and then click off how many volunteers
are needed and what they need to bring. Pop in the email addresses of the
volunteers, hit send, and from wherever the volunteers are they can start
signing up for their volunteer shift.

In one instance, a university TA scheduling 40 proctors to
work all the mid term and final exams in the business school was able to set up
the entire, complicated schedule in just 20 minutes, send the email, and the
entire calendar filled itself as proctors easily clicked and grabbed the
volunteer spot they wanted, keeping the calendar updated in real time and
preventing double bookings. Going old school with a spreadsheet and a lot of
back and forth negotiations, this process would have taken 6 hours – a savings
of 5 plus hours using VolunteerSpot. Needless to say, they are never going back
to the old method!

So what do you want to do – spend 6 hours coordinating your
volunteer activities and setting up the schedule – or are you ready to spend 20
minutes on some pretty slick and simple volunteer scheduling software at
VolunteerSpot.com and make your volunteer coordination easier than ever? Ready?
See how easy it is - take a live or video tour today.

Some of us started volunteering when our children entered
school through the PTA or to help with our kids scout and sports activities, and
some started volunteering because of deep interests in wanting to make an
impact in the community, in church or for the environment. Regardless of where
we volunteer or why, the two unifying themes most volunteers would use to
describe their experience are probably the sheer satisfaction we feel when
completing our volunteer work and the strong connections and friendships we
build through volunteering.

When you’re thinking of getting started volunteering,
consider the right kind of volunteer spot for you. Volunteering should feel
like something other than work, so choose something with meaning to you. Animal
lovers can help with adoption events or help with projects at animal shelters.
Environmentally minded people might start a recycling program and help with tree
planting in a local park. For those of us deeply affected by the economic downturn,
volunteering is a huge stress reliever, and sometimes can be the key to
creating the connections that will lead to the next paying gig.

Whatever you choose for your volunteering program, there is
another critical piece of advice to follow: start small. Pick the shortest
shift you can and do it no more than every 2 weeks. Gradually build up
frequency and duration, but don’t let your volunteer activities overwhelm you.
Sure, you may eventually find your volunteering passion so strong that it
becomes like a welcome second job, but let your passion pull you there – start
slowly to avoid burnout, and find the place – or places – that are your best
fit and give you the most satisfaction.

Just like with friends, it often takes a while before we
really get to know our volunteering situation; starting slowly will let us know
that we’ve really bonded with the right volunteer spot and will help to avoid
burnout and increase the joy and satisfaction we feel.

All of us have been stuck in a job where we show up, punch the clock, put in our time and leave. The reward is the paycheck, pure and simple.

So much of what we need to accomplish in our volunteer lives - whether we're making sure that all the shifts are scheduled at the food pantry, school fund raiser teams have enthusiast members to get the work done or our workplace volunteer service projects have a great turnout -- depends on getting people to show up.

But we really don't want people who are going to show up just one time, we need people that are going to show up time and time again. They might be our great committee chairs or they might just be the workhorse team members that are just rock solid about accepting and then meeting their commitments.

One of the easiest pitfalls we stumble into is taking people for granted. And that's why it's so important to plan to recognize volunteers and keep them excited about the good work they are doing so they don't just turn into a punch of clock punchers, or even just quit and go do something else. We need to plan our recognition right alongside our activity plans.

Here's some great ideas to keep volunteers excited about their work:

Make Thank You! posters thanking people by name and possibly even showing a picture of them in action. These can be posted around your location or just mailed to volunteers at their home

Hand out Thank You! tickets each time a volunteer works a shift. Each ticket offers the chance for a monthly drawing for something as simple as a $5 gift card to the coffee shop or a potted plant.

List your volunteers in your group newsletter and thank them for the service they provided that month.

Check in with your volunteers by phone or email and personally thank them for the work they are doing. Ask them if they are enjoying the work and ask for ideas to improve things. Feeling important -- and heard -- is a great way to spread job satisfaction.

Create a volunteer of the month parking space (or 2) at your church, school or community center and award it to different people each month.

Create a special recognition for a great volunteer recruiter -- because without new recruits we would run out of volunteers!

How do you recognize your volunteers? Has it helped to improve volunteer rates? Let us know what you do!!

In
truth, this was no revelation.The economists’
facts and figures only confirmed what most of us have been feeling for some
time now – painfully pinched.Like many
of you, I’m making instead of buying my morning coffee, pushing my running
shoes to go those few extra miles, and setting up carpools instead of driving
solo.

But
nowhere are the tight times more evident than in what I see every day in my job
at I Live Here, I Give Here, the Central Texas campaign for philanthropy.

Our
neighbors who previously leaned on local nonprofits for support are now subsisting
on those services.More dramatically, families
who were once donors are now clients.

The
demands on our nonprofits are urgent, and they need your support.

You
are at this site, reading this blog, because you are a volunteer – thank you!The time you give makes you a vital and
valued contributor to your community.But remember, there are some things that time can’t buy, and those
things are critical to an organization as it works to fulfill its mission, and
as it struggles to survive.

This
holiday season as you volunteer, consider doubling the impact of your gift by
pairing it with a financial contribution.Take my coffee fund, for example.Three months ago, a co-worker inspired me to see what I could do with my
latte-a-day savings.So, every morning as
my Mr. Coffee churns out my wake-up brew, I add to a collection can on my
kitchen counter what I would have spent on Starbuck’s.On the first of this month, the day the recession
was officially announced, I called my local children’s shelter and with those savings
I bought six children a visit to the doctor.

I
have seen the difference a dollar can make, and the great news is, I’m not
alone. The Associated Press reports philanthropic
giving is withstanding the tough economic times. Employees nationwide are choosing to donate in
lieu of a holiday party, and seven in ten adults say this year they plan to
spend less on holiday gifts and more on charitable contributions.

We invite you to join us.
Find out more about the needs in your community, and discover how a little bit
really does go a long way. What small portion of your budget could you redirect
to help others? Cocktail fund? Manicure? Hold the fries and hold onto that extra
dollar? It's amazing what these small sacrifices can mean to others, when you put that money in the hands of a charity.

Keya Jayaram

Program StaffI Live Here, I Give Here

Austin, TX

~ ~

Wherever
you are, we invite you to learn about our guest blogger's organization, I Live Here, I Give Here and see how it can inspire you to increase the power of your
volunteering with a financial push too.

In 1985, the United Nations established December 5 as International Volunteer Day as a day of service throughout the world. From Bermuda to Bagladesh, from Malawi to Mexico, people all over the planet are joined together today in this peaceful effort to help others and celebrate volunteering.

In researching the holiday, I came across this article about volunteerism in Europe: 3 out of 10 Europeans volunteer in some capacity and if all the volunteers worldwide were added up, the Volunteer Nation would be the 9th most populous country in the world.

It's incredible to think about in a world fragmented by language, religion and politics that there is this one important unifying factor -- we want to help. And those of us who do help are a powerful force for good and for peace and for making the world (literally) a better place.

This year we are stressed beyond measure over wars, over hunger, and over the global financial crisis, but on this day, we can join together not only in relieving some of that stress but in changing the world that we live in. The global citizens of the Volunteer Nation will be reaching out in service to help improve their local environment by cleaning the Nile River in Egypt and by planting 2,000 trees in Damour, Lebanon. There are events planned from December 1 - 5 in countries throughout the world.

Here in the US, we are part of the global Volunteer Nation. We are often know for our proud stance as American, but we can reach out in global understanding that we are part of a more universal world as members of the Volunteer Nation as well. It is our service that changes environments, changes lives and changes minds. Thanks for what you do and celebrate your achievements in volunteering! And go add a stamp to your new passport!

For those inspired to take action with a group of friends, coworkers or neighbors, let VolunteerSpot simplify your service!

My girlfriend, Mare, just had a baby - an adorable little girl. The sweet thing about Mare, is she doesn't want to put her friends out. She's very sensitive to the economic climate and asked us (her play group girlfriends) not to give her baby gifts -- this is her 2nd baby, and she's got all the basics covered.

Of course, the thought of NOT doing something special to welcome our newest little friend won't fly with our playgroup!! VolunteerSpot offers just the unique gift solution we needed to individually make small commitments of time that collectively roll up to a meaningful, thoughtful gift for our new-mother girlfriend!

We set up a care calendar, scheduling meals, play dates for her first daughter, and 'on call' days for shopping and last-minute help. Each of us chooses a volunteer spot that works with our schedule and signs up to help. Mare knows that she's got helping hands coming twice a week while she's getting settled and bonding with her new baby. Call it a Mommy Meal Scheduler, or Mommy Scheduler, or Mommy Care Calendar - whatever you want...it's called PEACE OF MIND for new mother and fun play dates for big sister!!

Here's how it works:

One lead friend sets up a care schedule and invites friends, family and neighbors to sign up for a volunteer spot to help:

VolunteerSpot sends out an invitation to signup and help - and when you click the link - it looks like this. First the Month View:

Click a day to sign up to help new mom - and then choose either something to do, or something to bring:

It's that easy! VolunteerSpot automatically schedules our choices and sends confirmation and reminder messages to keep us all on track. If anything comes up, we just go in and adjust the schedule.

Happy Mom, and Happy Play Group - we get to give Mare an AWESOME, virtually free, GIFT - TIME!!!